Attractive, open display of an abundance of merchandise, conductive of favorable purchasing decisions whether or not a patron is assisted by a salesperson, is potentially at odds with limiting inventory costs, reducing the amount of warehousing and other handling, controlling pilferage, and limiting losses attributable to shop worn or out-of-date merchandise. A variety of responses have occurred in response to these problems.
One direction taken has been to install an increasing number of security systems at the retail location including means of surveillance and alarm systems. This, however, addresses only the problem of shrinkage attributable to pilferage and tends to create an atmosphere of distrust not conducive to selling.
Another direction taken has been toward limiting the merchandise displayed, as for example in the number of catalog showrooms that have arisen in recent years. This tackles the problems of inventory size, handling, and losses due to out-of-date merchandise, while usually exposing only a single item to wear-and-tear or possible theft while on showroom display.